Lauren - Carnival

Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans

Okay, so after 5 years living in London and my 8th trip to "Europe's Largest Street Carnival" I can say Notting Hill Carnival is my favourite weekend in London.

Lots of drinking, eating, dancing and letting your hair down. This year my sister and I broke with tradition and went on the Sunday instead of the Monday. I have to say it was my best year yet and I will definitely be going on the Sunday in 2014.

Pre-carnival drinks with my sister

 Me

 Making friends

 My gorgeous sister

 Meeting the paramedics (nobody was hurt making this blog)

 Re-stocking

 Sisters

With carnival on our mind (it was Henri's first year) we have decided to do "carnival" inspired food for this week's blog. So, after raiding my cook books for inspiration, I decided on the most famous Caribbean dish, Jerk chicken with rice and peas. What surprised me is how varied all the recipes are; some called for orange juice, some for lime, some for soy, some for tobasco, and one even for balsamic vinegar. But, having read through at least 5 recipes, I decided to wing it and make my own.

Like I said in last week's post I don't eat meat on a bone, but I agree the flavour is better. My compromise was to roast a whole chicken marinated in my jerk marinade and then strip the meat off the bone and serve with rice. But each to their own so feel free to use thighs, drumsticks or even the breast meat.

Ingredients for the Jerk Chicken

1 large chicken

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp all spice

2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp Cajun spices

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I admit I was curious)

The juice of 1/2 orange

2 garlic cloves

1 scotch bonnet

Bay leaves

Red onion, quartered

Mix all the ingredients for the jerk in a pestle and mortar, or a food processor, and then rub over your chicken and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours. I made slits in the chicken to make sure the marinade really penetrated the chicken.

Stuff the chicken with some bay leaves and the orange then place in a roasting tin with your onion quarters. When you are ready to cook pre-heat your oven to gas mark 5 and roast your chicken for 2 hours (or following packet instructions). If your marinade looks like it is burning cover with foil.

While your chicken cooks start on your rice and beans.

Nigella Lawson - Kitchen

1 x 400g beans (I used black beans)

1 x 15 ml tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

400g long grain rice

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

600ml chicken stock

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Salt, to taste

Drain and rinse the beans, and heat the oil in a heavy-based pan that has a lid.

Fry the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring now and again, letting it soften and brown a little. Then add the chopped chili and garlic, and give everything a good stir around.

Now stir in the rice, making sure it is all slicked with oil, then pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock, and stir in the drained beans.

Bring to a bubble, clamp on the lid, turn down the heat to very low and let it cook gently for 15 minutes.

Check the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed - give the rice another 5 minutes if need be. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped thyme, and season with salt if desired, forking it through.

Pile up each dinner plate with coconutty rice and sit a piece of hot-crusted chicken proudly on top.